How To Make Your Money Last Longer In A Casino

Casinos can be great entertainment, as long as you only gamble what you are prepared to lose - and the lucky few can even walk away with a win. This article is for those who would like to enjoy a casino visit with limited funds - giving tips on the best games to get the most enjoyment for your money, without looking like to miser to your friends of colleagues.
The first thing to note is that you should always look for tables with smaller minimum bets. Many casinos will put the mid-stakes tables in easy to access areas, and it is easy to assume that these are the 'normal' stakes for those games. Make sure you have a good look around the casino and know where the different stakes are for the games you prefer - it can make the difference between having enough cash to play 1 hour, or 4!
Roulette is a great game for players wanting to make their gambling money last. There is a reasonable time between spins to enjoy the social side of the evening, and the minimum bets are often reasonably small. Even with a $5 minimum (for example) on colors or odd / even you can hedge your bets to ensure that your cash does not go down too fast. Examples of this might include betting on red and odd separately, you will only lose both 25% of the time, get your money back 50% - not counting the green 'zeros'. Betting like this will not make you rich, and bad runs are possible even with those odds - however this is a great method of making your money last longer, and there is no reason why you should not have a small side bet on your favorite lucky number.
Blackjack can burn your money very fast, and is best avoided - especially if you do not know the strategy and special bets which can reduce the casino edge. If you find a table with small stakes you could always 'play behind' an expert and let them make the right decisions. Craps can likewise quickly burn the cash of inexperienced players.
Slots can be a fun way of making your money last longer in a live casino - however they have the drawback of being a less social game than the ones based at the tables. Video slots with multiple lines can be played for small stakes, multiple small wins should keep you playing longer, while there is always the chance of scooping a large jackpot.
Poker games can be a great choice for players who are looking for a mix of gambling and good value for money. Caribbean Stud is a popular 5-card poker game, where the only decision is whether to fold your hand or play against the dealers 'upcard'. If you play small stakes then you can enjoy a lot of hands for your money. Unlike in blackjack games you do not run the risk of a fellow player complaining that you tool 'their ten' either - poker is far more social. 3-card poker is another alternative, here you make straights, flushes and pairs to beat the dealer, and can even play a side-bet called 'pair plus' which has progressively higher payouts for better poker hands.
Whichever casino games you choose to play, make sure that you only ever gamble with money you can afford to lose. Thinking of your cash as the nights 'entertainment budget' and seeing any win as a bonus is a sure fire way of making sure you enjoy your night out all the more.